In Syria itself, activists say the army has regained control of Douma near the capital Damascus after a
siege
and shelling lasting several days. They say dozens of people have died and hundreds more have been injured with bodies lying in the streets. The activists say many people have been forced to flee the town and others are
trapped
inside with food, electricity and water supplies
running out
. The Syrian state news agency said the army was continuing to pursue what it described as terrorists in Douma with dozens dead after raids on their
hideouts
.
Egypt's first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi has been sworn in with a call for the swift
reinstatement
of the country's parliament, which was recently dissolved. In a ceremony at a military area outside Cairo, the head of the governing military authorities, Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, officially handed power to President Morsi. Earlier in a speech at Cairo University, Mr Morsi from the Muslim Brotherhood said he'd protect the army as an institution, but he warned that its job was to defend the country, not to run it. Mr Morsi promised a shining new page in his country's history.
World News from the BBC
Pakistan's new Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf says the country's President Asif Ali Zardari is
immune from
prosecution for as long as he's in office. Mr Ashraf was speaking on the issue for the first time since becoming prime minister. Three days ago the Supreme Court gave Mr Ashraf two weeks to clarify whether he intended to pursue corruption charges against President Zardari.